Clara Lotta Dittmer | Espronceda Residency

Young German artist Clara Lotta Dittmer (Hamburg, 1992) is in Barcelona for her 6-week art residency in Espronceda, won during the last edition of the Arte Laguna Prize in March 2019.

Espronceda is an innovative contemporary art center in the heart of Barcelona that has been collaborating with the Arte Laguna Prize for years, offering an art residency in a multi-disciplinary environment, including a final exhibition in its wonderful spaces.

When she found out that she had been chosen as the winner of this award, Clara felt incredibly honored and excited to immerse herself in this new experience. “Getting out of daily life for 6 weeks and immersing myself in a new environment is a wonderful experience for which I am truly grateful.”

As soon as she arrived, she immediately felt welcomed by the city and its people. The encounters she made during her stay were a source of great inspiration for her, both artistically and humanly. As she recalls, “In the morning I would ride my bike to wonderful places while they were still empty and as the day went on, I would watch little scenes in the street of people talking, discussing, and resting.

PRIZE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Being in Espronceda had a strong effect on Clara’s art, especially on the size of her paintings. Having so much space to herself has allowed her to confront her skills in a new way and try many things. After this residency, she feels much stronger and more confident as an artist.

The result of her wandering around Barcelona, getting lost in its streets, listening to the city and the sounds of the people is the solo exhibition People, which opens Aug. 27 in the spaces of Espronceda. The exhibition showcases a new series of portraits Clara painted during her residency. With People Clara aims to explore the mystery and complexity of human beings and existence. Her main interest is describing and observing the history and voices of people and their daily lives in the streets.

In addition, there will be a finissage on September 4 during which a talk will take place in which Clara and Savina Tarsitano, artist and co-founder of Espronceda, will reflect together on the role and impact of art residencies.